(b) Famines in divers places [Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11]: In the years between the death of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem there were severe famines especially in the area of Jerusalem. Paul took up a contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem [Romans 15:25; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4] which many churches took part in. Agabus signified by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius, and the disciples sent relief unto the disciples in Judea [Acts 11:28-29].
(c) Pestilences [Matthew 24:7 King James Version]: Pestilences tend to come with famine. There was a great one in AD 40 in Babylon when many Jews died and many more fled because of it. Another one in AD 65 in Rome when many died. I have seen no history that tells how many died by wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in the years before the destruction of Jerusalem (before A. D. 70), but no doubt it was hundreds of thousands. During the siege of Jerusalem but before the fall, the dead from famines and pestilences filled all the room for burial within the walls of the city and Josephus claims 600,000 more bodies were thrown out of the gates of Jerusalem and left unburialed.
(d) Earthquakes in divers places [Matthew 24:7]: The earthquakes are spoken of as a dreadful judgment against the nation of Israel, "But all these things are the beginning of travail" [Matthew 24:8].
"Of these significant emblems of political commotions, there occurred several within the scene of this prophecy, and, as our Savior predicted, in divers places in the reign of Claudius there was one at Rome, and another at Apamea in Syria, where many Jews resided. The earthquake at the latter place was so destructive, that the emperor, in order to relieve the distresses of the inhabitants, remitted its tribute for five years. Both these earthquakes are recorded by Tacitus. There was one also, in the same reign in Crete that is mentioned by Philostratus, in his Life of Apollonius, who says, that 'there were others at Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, and Samos; IN ALL WHICH PLACES JEWS HAD SETTLED.'
In the reign of Nero there was an earthquake at Laodicea. Tacitus records this also. It is likewise mentioned by Eusebius and Orosius, who add that Hieropolis and Colose, as well as Laodicea, were overthrown by an earthquake.
There was also one in Campania in this reign (of this both Tacitus and Seneca speak) and another at Rome in the reign of Galba, recorded by Suetonius." George P. Holford, "The Destruction Of Jerusalem," 1805.
Some cities of Israel were totaled destroyed by earthquakes before the destruction of Jerusalem. I have not found an estimate of how many Jews died by earthquakes but like both the famines and the pestilences, without doubt many more thousands died in the earthquakes before A. D. 70. Dr. Philip Schaff says there is scarcely another period in history so full of corruption, vice, and disaster as the six years between Neronian 355
persecution in A. D. 64 and the destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70, History Of the Christian Church, New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge.
For many years the earthquakes, famines, wars, and pestilences of Matthew 24
have repeatedly been misused and made into a sure sign that Christ is coming soon and the end is at hand by many writers of fiction.
[3] PERSECUTION FIRST FROM JEWS
AND THEN ROME, AND THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL
(a) "But all these things are the beginning of travail" [Matthew 24:9].
(b) Christians would be deliver up, killed and hated by all the nations [Matthew 24:9]. The persecution of believers came first from the Jews. Acts 4:3; 4:18; 4:21; 5:18; 5:28; 6:12-14; 7:58-60; 8:1; 8:3; 9:1-2; 13:44-51; 14:2; 14:19; 17:5-8; 17:13; 26:9-10; Paul was one of the persecutors and then one of the persecuted. "Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned...I have been in...dangers from my countrymen" [2 Corinthians 11:24-26]. "For you also suffer the same things of your own countrymen, even as they did of the Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophet, and drove out us" [1 Thessalonians 2:14-15]. It was soon followed by the persecution of Nero of believers, which began about A. D. 64.
After the fire in Rome Nero attempted to clear himself by blaming it on the Christians.
He then persecuted the Christians with such cruelty that even many of his fellow Romans were taken back by his cruelty "But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prison, bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake" [Luke 21:12]. See Hebrews 10:32-34. Both the persecution from the Jews and the persecution from Rome were severe. I have just touched the hem of the garment.
(c) Many shall stumble, deliver up one another, and hate one another [Matthew 24:10]. As a result of the persecutions the weak stumbled . "And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all on account of My name...and a man's enemies will be the members of his household" [Matthew 10:22-36].
(d) Many false prophets [Matthew 24:11]. See 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1; 2:18; Galatians 1:7. Many false teachers saying they were the Christ [Matthew 24:5]. Josephus says that they did come about the time of the end of Jerusalem.
“But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you,
you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes”
[Matthew10:23].
―It is a coming, which was to take place before all the cities of Israel should be evangelized, and hence the reference must be, we think, to the providential coming to destroy the Jewish nationality‖ J. W. McGarvey, New Testament Commentary, Matthew and Mark, page 92.
―It would take place before all the cities of Israel should be evangelized, hence it would mean the coming of Christ to destroy the Jewish nationality‖ H. Leo Boles, The Gospel According To Matthew, page 230, Gospel Advocate, 1954.
(e) Lightning " For just as the lightning comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be" [Matthew 24:27]. For the use of
"lightning" in the Old Testament for God's angry and judgment see Exodus 19:16; 2
Samuel 22:7-15; Isaiah 30:27. It is also used symbolically in Revelation of judgments.
Revelation 4:5; 11:19; 16:18. The false prophets saying they were the Christ were only seen by some. The coming of Christ in judgment on Israel with the total destruction of 356
Israel as a country was seen in the entire known world just as lightning in the east is seen in the west.
(f) Many disciples will fall away, but those who remain faithful shall be saved
[Matthew 24:13-14].
(g) The gospel shall be preached to the whole world [Matthew 24:14]. The persecution against the church in Jerusalem scattered the saints abroad, and they went about preaching the word everywhere. [Acts 8:1-4]. The gospel was preached throughout the world, as it was known before A. D. 70. “The word of the truth of the gospel, which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world” [Colossians 1:6]; and "The hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven" [Colossians 1:23]. Paul says to the Romans, "Your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world"
[Romans 1:8]. In Romans 10:18 he said, "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." "World" as it is used in the New Testament is all the civilized world of that day, the entire known world. See Luke 2:1; Acts 11:28. "Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven"
[Acts 2:5]. The devout Jews came from all over the world to Jerusalem for Pentecost and when Pentecost was over, they returned to all nations under heaven and some that believed the preaching of Peter and others took the Gospel with them. "The mystery...has been made known to all the nations" [Romans 16:25-26].
[4] THEN COMES THE END OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL
(a) Then comes the end when they see the Romans in Jerusalem . "When; therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet
[Daniel 9:27], standing in the holy place" [Matthew 24:14-15]. The parallel passage in Luke 21:20 says, "But when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that
her desolation is at hand." There will be no armies compassing around Jerusalem to see at the second coming of Jesus. In the Old Testament the worship of other gods is an
"abomination" [Deuteronomy 7:25; 12:31; 17:3]. The Romans worshiped many gods.
The idolatrous army of Rome in Jerusalem was an "abomination of desolation" to them.
Daniel speaks of an "abomination of desolation" at a time when the regular sacrifices were abolished because of Israel going into captivity [Daniel 12:11; 9:27].
(b) "Then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains" [Matthew 24:16].
The last signs the disciples were to look for was the Roman army around Jerusalem. After going through the country around about Jerusalem and destroying the cities and killing many thousand of the Jews, Cestius Gallus came to within one mile of Jerusalem, then after about four days entered the city but fled with many Jews pursuing him. The disciples were to flee unto the mountains when they saw all the above signs. If this passage were speaking of the second coming of Christ, as many Premillennialists say it is, why were Christians told to flee to the mountains? In Luke Christ is speaking of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and tells the disciples, "But watch at every season, making supplication, that you may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" [Luke 21:36]. They did watch and escaped by fleeing to the mountains beyond the cities of Israel.
"After this disaster had befallen Cestius, the more opulent of the Jews (says Josephus) forsook Jerusalem as men do a sinking ship. And it is with reason supposed that on this occasion many Christians, or converted Jews, who dwelt there, recollecting the warnings of their divine Master, retired to Pella, a place beyond Jordan, situated in a mountainous country, whither (according to Eusebius, who resided near the spot) they came from Jerusalem, and settled, before the war (under Vespasian) began. Other providential opportunities for escaping afterwards occurred, of 357
which, it is probable, those who were now left behind availed themselves; for it is a striking act, and such as cannot be contemplated by the pious mind without sentiments of devout admiration, that history does not record that even one Christian perished in the siege of Jerusalem. Enduring to the end faithful to their blessed master, they, gave credit to his predictions, and escaped the calamity. Thus were fulfilled the words of our Lord, Matt. 24. 13. 'He that shall endure unto the end (i. e. of the scene of this prophecy) shall be saved,' i. e. from the calamities which will involve all those who shall continue obstinate in unbelief" George P. Holford, "The Destruction of Jerusalem."
"It is very remarkable that not a single Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem, though there were many there when Cestis Gallus invested the city; and, had he persevered in the siege, he would soon have rendered himself master of it; but, when he unexpectedly and unaccountably raised the siege, the Christians took that opportunity to escape." Adam Clarke, Commentary on Matthew.
At the second coming of Jesus no one will see the Roman army and flee to the mountains. Premillennialists believe and teach that the rapture will be at the time of this great tribulation, therefore, the saints could not flee to the mountains for they would be
"up in the sky with Christ" in the rapture; but Jesus clearly told them to flee to the mountains when the tribulation begins. Christians were to (and did) flee from Jerusalem; from the very place where Premillennialists say Christ will come to and set up His kingdom, and if this passage were about a millennial coming, they were told to flee from Jerusalem at the very time when many Millennialists say Christ will be coming to Jerusalem to set up His kingdom.
That this is not the second coming of Christ is shown by the fact that both living and dead believers did not meet the Lord in the air in A. D. 70 [1 Thessalonians 4:15-17], but that only the living believers were to flee to the mountains.
INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNING TO THE DISCIPLES
Matthew 24:17-20: "Let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: (18) and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak.
(19) But woe unto them that give suck in those days! (20) And pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath; for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world (aion-age) until now, no, not ever shall be. (22) And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (23) Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not. (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (25) Behold, I have told you beforehand. (26) If; therefore, they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. (27) For as the lightning comes forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. (28) Where so ever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together."
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world (aion-age) until now, no, not ever shall be." This is speaking of the Jewish age, not all time. Not of the destruction of the flood before the Jewish age and not speaking of any war after the end of the Jewish age. Daniel 12:1 says, " And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time." Daniel vision about Israel and Michael was speaking only of Israel and should be understood as "since there was a nation of Israel." It is speaking only of the wars and captivities of Israel, not of other nations, not anything before Israel was a nation, or after the destruction of Israel.
(a) Those in Jerusalem were to flee without taking time to take things from their house, and those in fields were not to take the time to return to their house for things
[Matthew 24:18-19]. "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize 358
that her desolation is at hand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter the city" [Luke 20:20-21].
No one, saved or lost, will be able to flee to the mountains to escape at the second coming of Jesus. The saved will not want to and the lost will not be able to. Neither will armies surround Jerusalem at the second coming of Christ. Nevertheless, Millennialists attempt to make this be an army of Satan surrounding Christ and His saints in the Millennial Kingdom. Would those who were with Christ in Jerusalem be told to flee to the mountains to escape the army of Satan? If they were, it would give Satan more power than Christ has for He would not be able to protect them from Satan.
The saints that were to flee to the mountains would be in the mountains at the time of rapture, not ruptured to Heaven where the Millennialists say they will be. Although this is a key passage to the Millennia theory it is an undeniable contradiction to the rapture theory.
(b) Woe unto them that have a small child [Matthew 24:29]. Those with a child would have hardships in fleeing to the mountains, but at the end of the world this will be no problem, no woe to those who will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air.
(c) They were to pray that it not be in the winter or on a Sabbath for the gates of Jerusalem were closed, and no one could depart from the city [Matthew 24:20]. Because the streams were then impassable from the heavy rains, the cold wet weather would be hard on those who were fleeing. The gates of Jerusalem have never been closed after A.
D. 70 and it will be no problem if the gates of Jerusalem, or any city was closed at the second coming, nor will impassable streams or cold weather be a problem at the second coming.
Hindrances to flight from Jerusalem in A. D. 70 that would be no hindrances at the second coming.
Having a small child [Matthew 24:19]
In the winter and bad weather [Matthew 24:20]
On a Sabbath day with the gates of Jerusalem closed [Matthew 24:20]
(d) There would be a greater tribulation than had been from the beginning of the age (aion-age) [Matthew 24:20-22]. Not the beginning of the world as the King James Version says.
(e) There would be many false Christs and prophets that would show great signs
[Matthew 24:23-27]. But, when Christ came in judgment on Israel He was seen by all through His judgment. False Christs and prophets will not be a sign of His second coming at the end of the world.
(f) Where so ever the dead body of Israel was (the carcass) the eagles would gather
[Matthew 24:28]. The Jewish nation was a dead and rotting carcass with its birds of prey.
First: many false Christs.
Second: Christ coming seen by all.
Third: Then the dead carcass of Israel. That Christ being seen by all is the coming of Christ in judgment on Israel and not His second coming is shown by it being
between the false Christs and the dead carcass of Jerusalem.
1. False Christs
2. Then Christ coming in judgment on Israel
3. Then the dead carcass of Jerusalem
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"For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled"
[Luke 21:22]. Jeremiah ends his prophecy made in Gehenna [valley of Topheth] outside of Jerusalem with, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it because they have stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words'" [Jeremiah 19:15].
FIRST CENTURY OR TODAY?
(a) "Let him that is on the housetop not go down." Most first century houses in Jerusalem had flat roofs, and were used as sleeping places. Today there are almost none with flat roofs.
(b) Not on the Sabbath. The gates would be closed, and no one would be able to leave the city. Today there are no gates. The Law forbids going more than a Sabbath day journey, which is less than a mile, and others Jews might have stopped them for breaking the Law.
(c) Not in the winter. Travel would be hard then but not today with today's ways of travel.
(d) "For the days shall come upon you when your enemies shall cast up a bank about you, and compass you round, and keep you on in on every side" [Luke 19:43-44]. Then the common way that was used by the Romans to take a walled city was to build an embankment next to the wall for the army to walk up to the top of the wall. Today's cities, not even Jerusalem, do not have walls, as they would be useless with modern planes and explosives.
(f) "And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." After Jerusalem was completely destroyed, the cities of Israel that had not been destroyed before Jerusalem was also destroyed. If the Roman army had kept going, the fateful Jews beyond the mountains where Christians had fled to would have also been destroyed. No flesh saved would make no sense when it is applied to the second coming of Christ as it is by many Millennialists.
Luke 21:24 "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." In A. D. 70 all the Jews that were in Israel that was not killed were led captive into all the nations. The siege of Jerusalem was at the time of the Passover when millions were within the walls of the city. If this were speaking of the millennium, who is going to fall by the sword and be led captive at the coming of Christ?
"Of the Jews destroyed during the siege, Josephus reckons not less than one million and one hundred thousand, to which must be added, above two-hundred and thirty-seven thousand who perished in other places, and innumerable multitudes who were swept away by famine, and pestilence, and of which no calculation could be made. Not less than two thousand laid violent hands upon themselves. Of the captives the whole was about ninety-seven thousand." George P. Holford, "The Destruction of Jerusalem." He also says that at this time bands of robbers and murderers plundered the other towns and slew the resistance of many of the towns.
"No history can furnish us with a parallel to the calamities and miseries of the Jews:-rape, murder, famine, and pestilence within: fire and sword, and all the horrors of war, without. Our Lord wept at the foresight of these calamities; and it is almost impossible for any humane person to read the relation of them in Josephus without weeping also."
Adam Clarke, Commentary on Matthew.
"And indeed the multitude of carcasses that lay in heaps one upon another was a horrible sight, and produced a pestilential stench, which was a hindrance to those that would make sallies out of the city, and fight the enemy: but as those were to go in battle-array, who had been already use to ten thousand murders, and must tread upon those dead bodies as they marched along, so they were not terrified, nor did they pity men as they marched over them." Josephus, The Wars Of The Jews Or The History Of The Destruction Of Jerusalem, Book VI, Page 1. This is only a small sample 360
of the pages in Josephus's history of the destruction of the Jews as a nation, of the wars of the Jews with the Romans before, during, and after the destruction of Jerusalem, of the famines, pestilence and earthquakes through out all Israel unto the entire nation was destroyed. It is not for those with a weak stomach.
"The Roman leaders endeavored to strike terror to the Jews and thus, cause them to surrender. Those prisoners, who resisted when taken, were scourged, tortured, and crucified before the wall of the city. Hundreds were daily put to death in this manner, and the dreadful work continued until, along the Valley Jehoshaphat and at Calvary, crosses were erected in so great numbers that there was scarcely room to move among them. So terrible was the visited that awful imprecation uttered before the judgment seat of Pilate: 'His blood be on us, and on our children Matthew 27:25'"
―The Great Controversy‖ The nation of Israel sowed a cross and reaped thousands of crosses.
"Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another" [Matthew 24:2]. Titus wanted to save the temple and give command that it be not destroyed, but Christ had said it would be. It was set on fire against the command of Titus, and the gold melted and ran down into the foundation stones and the soldiers dug down to the foundation stones looking for the gold; not one stone was left on another. In Luke's account of this [Luke 19:41-44] he says the temple would be even with the ground. After the destruction of Jerusalem one could not know by looking at the spot that the temple had been on it. A Moslem Mosque, called the Dome of the Rock, is now on the spot where the temple was.
―Other great temples are in ruins, but their ruins indicate their former splendor. The Parthenon, the Acropolis, the temples of Karnak, Luxor, and Baalbec are examples; but to find even the foundations of the Jewish temple it is necessary to dig beneath the modern city. It has entirely disappeared from the face of the earth, and a Mahometan mosque stands on the spot where it stood.‖ B. W. Johnson, The People‘s New Testament With Notes, Matthew 24:2, 1891.
"Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them."
Josephus, "Antiquities of the Jews" 10.11.7.
In their books of fiction the coming millennium tribulation is often based on Matthew 24, which has already came in A. D. 70 before that generation passed away
[Matthew 24:34]. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world (aion-age)." The purpose of this discourse was not to give his disciples signs of His coming at the end of the world but signs of the destruction of Jerusalem, to warn believers in that generation of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and to give them a sign for them to flee from the destruction coming in their lifetime.
[Matthew 24:21].
THE CARCASS OF ISRAEL
"Where so ever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together" Matthew 24:28.
"I wonder and can any understand these words of pious men flying to Christ, [in the rapture] when the discourse here is of quite a different thing: they are thus connected to the forgoing: Christ shall be revealed with a sudden vengeance; for when God shall cast of the city and people, grown ripe for destruction, like a carcass thrown out, the Roman soldiers, like eagles, shall straight fly to it with their eagles (ensigns) to tear and devout it." John Lightfoot, Matthew 24:28 "A Commentary o